[nagdu] getting along with other guide dogs

[Tracy Carcione]

Julie,
I'd bet on socialization.  As I understand it, from the time the pups are
born, some person or other is handling them.  A GDB trainer once said to
me that it was a wonder the pups ever learned to walk, since a volunteer
was always carrying them around!  Then they go off to their raisers, where
they may be the only dog, though they get out and meet plenty of other
dogs at neighbors or the puppy club.  When they get back for training, I
think they get a couple group runs a day with other dogs, where they can
run and play for half an hour or so.  I don't know how much play they get
with people at that time.  It might be the only time they really spend a
lot of time with other dogs, instead of people.
Anyway, that's my theory.
Or it could be me, and I just get people-oriented dogs.  But my friends'
dogs seem much the same.
Tracy

> Tracey,
>
> That's interesting about the guide dogs you know being more interested
> in people than other dogs. I wonder if that is a product of breeding,
> socialization or something else?
>
> Monty is happy to meet new people at home.  In harness he does not like
> to be touched.  He absolutely loves other dogs though.  It's only been
> in the last year or so that he has settled down enough around other dogs
> that I don't need to provide verbal coaching/redirection/whatever.  Out
> of harness it's full tilt rumpus room, no holds barred, rearrange the
> furniture, rockin' good times!  Well, that's a touch of an exaggeration,
> buthe most certainly prefers to socialize dogs over people.
>
> Julie
>
>
> On 4/27/2012 7:30 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
>> If I'm meeting a friend with a guide dog, I have no problem if the dogs
>> want to sniff each other and say Hi.  Usually they just give each other
>> the old butt-sniff and they're both satisfied.  But a few weeks ago, I
>> was
>> walking into the bus terminal while another guide dog user was coming
>> out.
>>   I would have liked to say Hi, who are you, where's your dog from, and
>> all
>> that jazz, but she was yelling at her dog, trying to keep it in line and
>> not visit Ben, so I kept Ben moving along and didn't bother her.  I also
>> got the sense that she was a bit nervous coming into the big city, and
>> wasn't in the mood for guide dog chat.
>>
>> If I'm at home with another guide dog user, we let the dogs play, if
>> they
>> want.  Usually, they're not very interested in each other, though.  Most
>> of the guide dogs I know are more people-oriented than dog-oriented.
>> Dogs
>> are interesting and fun, but people are even better.
>> Tracy
>>
>>> I don't encounter other guide dogs very often, maybe 2 or 3 times a
>>> year
>>> depending on how much I travel to attend blindness events.   But it is
>>> extremely rare that I allow Monty to visit with other guide or service
>>> dogs.   I have never allowed this when he is working.  I have let him
>>> visit with one guide out of harness in my home.  I think if I were at a
>>> convention with other dogs who wanted to work out a play date type of
>>> thing I'd be very open to that, it just hasn't happened.
>>>
>>> Anyway I was wondering how others approach this issue.  Do you like for
>>> your guide to meet and greet the other working dogs?  Do you do this in
>>> harness?  Are there circumstances that help you decide this on a case
>>> by
>>> case basis?   Does it make a difference to you whether or not the dogs
>>> get along or like each other?
>>>
>>> The recent messages have peaked my curiosity.
>>>
>>> Julie
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
>
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